The 11th Infantry Division (German: 11. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the Wehrmacht that was initially founded as a cover formation during the Reichswehr era. It was active from 1934 to 1945.
History
The 11th Infantry Division was initially known by the cover name "Infantry Leader I" (German: Infanterieführer I), a military formation founded in Allenstein in October 1934.[1]: 198f. Several of the Wehrmacht infantry formation were disguised variously as "infantry leader" or "artillery leader" during the time of the Reichswehr, when military restrictions imposed limitations of size on Germany's military.[2]: 229f. The Reichswehr-era 2nd Infantry Regiment, also previously headquartered at Allenstein, was used to form the personnel of the subsequent 2nd and 23rd regiments of the 11th Division.[2]: 237 The formation was officially redesignated "11th Infantry Division" on 15 October 1935.[1]: 198f.
On 18 August 1939, the division was mobilized and equipped with three infantry regiments and an artillery regiment. The infantry regiments were Infantry Regiment 2 (Allenstein), Infantry Regiment 23 (Rastenburg) and Infantry Regiment 44 (Bartenstein); the artillery regiment was Artillery Regiment 11 (Allenstein). Additionally, the division contained the "Division Units 11" for support.[1]: 198f. The 11th Infantry Division participated in the Invasion of Poland as part of the I Army Corps under 3rd Army. The I Army Corps, next to 11th Infantry Division, also featured the 61st Infantry Division and Panzer Division Kempf.[3]: 360–363 In the early morning hours of 1 September 1939, the left flank of I Corps swung in a two-pronged assault towards the Polish stronghold at Mława, bringing about the Battle of Mława.[4]: 113
After a minor role in the Battle of France, the 11th Infantry Division was initially transferred to the Atlantic Wall until March 1941. It then returned to East Prussia in preparation of Operation Barbarossa,[5] in which it participated as part of I Corps (along with 1st and 21st Divisions) under the 18th Army of Army Group North.[6]: 26
On January 1940, the Field Replacement Battalion 11 was detached and converted into the II./364 battalion of 161st Infantry Division in January 1940. In the following month, the II./44 battalion was also detached from the 11th Infantry Division and transferred to 291st Infantry Division as I./506; II./44 was subsequently replenished. In October 1940, a third of the division (including the staff of Regiment 2 and III./3, III./23 and III./44 battalions) was passed off to the newly-formed 126th Infantry Division and were subsequently replenished.[1]: 198f.
In summer 1942, III./23 battalion was dissolved.[1]: 198f.
On 2 October 1943, the division was ordered to be restructured into a "Division neuer Art"-type division. III./2 and II./44 battalions were dissolved in January and September 1944, respectively. This left the division with three infantry regiments (now called "Grenadier Regiments") with the same numbers as before, but with two rather than three battalions. Additionally, the division's reconnaissance battalion had been formed into the Division Fusilier Battalion 11.[1]: 198f.
In 1945, the division was taken prisoner by the Red Army in the Courland Pocket.[1]: 198f.
Commanders
Generalleutnant Günther von Niebelschütz: 1 October 1934 – 1 April 1937
Generalleutnant Max Bock: 1 April 1937 – 23 October 1939
The 11th Infantry Division used two divisional emblems: one showed a red-and-white head of an elk atop a diagonally-divided red-and-white shield, the other showed a solid blue spot within a white square.[7]: 10
Sources
References
^ abcdefghTessin, Georg (1967). Die Landstreitkräfte 006–014. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945 (in German). Vol. 3. Frankfurt/Main: Verlag E. S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH.
^ abTessin, Georg (1974). Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918–1939. Osnabrück: Biblio. ISBN9783764810009.
^Forczyk, Robert (2019). Case White: The Invasion of Poland 1939. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN9781472834935.
^Zaloga, Steven J.; Madej, Victor (1985). The Polish Campaign 1939. Hippocrene Books. ISBN9780882549941.
^Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "11th Infantry Division". 1st–290th Infantry Divisions in WWII. German Order of Battle. Vol. 1. Stackpole Books. ISBN9780811746540.
^Kirchubel, Robert (2005). Operation Barbarossa 1941 (2): Army Group North. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN9781841768571.
^Hartmann, Theodor (1970). Wehrmacht Divisional Signs, 1938–1945. Almark Publications. ISBN0855240067.
Literature
Müller-Hillebrand, Burkhard (1969). Der Zweifrontenkrieg. Das Heer vom Beginn des Feldzuges gegen die Sowjetunion bis zum Kriegsende. Das Heer 1933–1945. Entwicklung des organisatorischen Aufbaues. Vol. 3. Frankfurt/Main: Mittler.
Tessin, Georg (1967). Die Landstreitkräfte 006–014. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945. Vol. 3. Frankfurt/Main: Verlag E. S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN3764809426.
Nazi Germany
